The present invention relates to a new and improved manner of drying wet materials in absorbent areas, such as may exist on fabrics or like areas for the purpose of accelerating drying, and heat setting of such materials, and is more particularly concerned with avoiding contamination of an ironing means surface, such as the sole plate of a hand operated flat iron, or a pressing machine, or a mangle-type ironer without resulting damage to the liquid applied areas. In fact, substantial improvements to such surfaces are possible.
Fabrics and like porous areas may have applied thereto numerous and varied liquid substances, such as paints, dyes, inks, various treating fluids, starches, and even water which may contain a considerable mineral content, and all of which to at least some degree may tend to contaminate a drying and pressure applying surface means such as the sole plate of a flat iron, or the two rollers of a mangle-type iron, or the two platens of a pressing machine. In fact, certain wet materials cannot be dried by means of such a drying and pressure applying surface applied directly thereto because of extreme contamination of such surface of and smearing of the face area of the material to which such surface is applied.
Wet paints, dyes and inks are with some frequency placed on selected areas of garment fabrics, especially for ornamental purposes, such as to print or paint slogans, decorative designs and the like, for example on t-shirts, skirts, sweatshirts, and the like. Heretofore, drying procedures have involved expedients such as air streams from hair dryers, hanging the articles up to dry, drying in an oven or in a conventional clothes dryer. Those expedients may take anywhere from hours to several days before the treated area is completely dry and can be safely handled.
There are situations were artists prefer to apply wet paints to canvas or Chino Vino fabric to produce better quality paintings, with greater detail. Such paintings, on separate sections of fabric, are then bonded to garments, or even framed for wall-hanging. Drying is a problem.
Silk screening is a popular way in which various and sundry designs and ornamentations are applied to fabric or other porous articles. The drying of silk screened articles has entailed considerable time, especially where it is not practical to use a highly volatile solvent. Where such solvent is used, the pigment viscosity must be carefully controlled to avoid a lumpy appearance of the imprint where a flat appearance is desired. Regardless of whether the fast volatilization or slow drying process is used, there is often less than desirable fiber penetration and coating of the imprinted material for washfast purposes.
If an attempt is made to effect quick drying of a wet substance such as printed or decorative means on an area, or even where an area is impregnated with a solids containing fluid substance, by direct application of a pressing and drying surface means, such as a flat iron, it can be expected that the drying surface means may become intolerably befouled or contaminated by adherence thereto of contaminants from the substance on the area to be dried.
As a matter of fact, where an area is wet or wetted with water, other than distilled water, there is often such a volume of mineral matter in the water as to cause contamination of an iron used to iron and dry the wet area.